OA strips or apivar strips.

[ericbeaumont]

Just dont let bee inspector find them

For those unaware of the law, plain OA is illegal to use in GB to treat varroa.

ApiBioxal is the same OA (+ sugar and silica) but at an inflated price to cover costs of product approval.

Oxuvar is another OA approved by the VMD.

In contrast, the US and EU have acknowledged that an OA maximum residue limit was unnecessary and that in the US, OA will be permitted to be used while honey supers are on hives.

 

[Curly green finger's]

For those unaware of the law, plain OA is illegal to use in GB to treat varroa.

ApiBioxal is the same OA (+ sugar and silica) but at an inflated price to cover costs of product approval.

Oxuvar is another OA approved by the VMD.

In contrast, the US and EU have acknowledged that an OA maximum residue limit was unnecessary and that in the US, OA will be permitted to be used while honey supers are on hives.

Well you know Eric here's the tin hat coming out but I tend to agree with the U S.
Edit:In the sence, if when you start putting supers on you need to to treat.
Perhaps we could have a poll pls mods?

 

[linoleum bonypart]

So are strips legal...??

 

[Erichalfbee]

So are strips legal...??

Oxalic?
Not to kill varroa, no

 

[ericbeaumont]

agree with the U S.

I agree with you and the US, Mark.

For those new to beekeeping, here's the gist: UK organisations had the option some years ago to join EU beekeepers to work to establish that MRLs were unnecessary when using OA to treat for varroa.

UK beekeepers declined to go down that road and instead supported the VMD aim to legislate to allow commercia£ OA only.

OA treatment fades quickly and residue in honey is no greater than background levels, so in this instance the US and EU have taken the approach most beneficial to beekeepers: cost-effective varroa management and more effective application methods.

Why the UK chose the route they did, one so lacking in common practical sense, is a source of enduring debate...

 

[Curly green finger's]

I agree with you and the US, Mark.

For those new to beekeeping, here's the gist: UK organisations had the option some years ago to join EU beekeepers to work to establish that MRLs were unnecessary.

UK beekeepers declined to go down that road and instead supported the VMD aim to legislate to allow commercia£ OA only.

OA treatment fades quickly and residue in honey is no greater than background levels, so in this instance the US and EU have taken the approach most beneficial to beekeepers: cost-effective varroa management and more effective application methods.

Why the UK chose the route they did, one so lacking in common practical sense, is a source of enduring debate...

Again we will stay behind the rest of the world as is with many things in this country.

 

[Monbees]

I agree with you and the US, Mark.

For those new to beekeeping, here's the gist: UK organisations had the option some years ago to join EU beekeepers to work to establish that MRLs were unnecessary.

[/QUOTE

Could not find MRL in abbreviations list?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Maximum Residue Limit

 

[ericbeaumont]

Maximum Residue Limit

In the case of OA in honey as a result of treatment, NWBA*.

*Not worth bothering about.

 

[Curly green finger's]

In the case of OA in honey as a result of treatment, NWBA*.

*Not worth bothering about.

Eric there is probably beeks putting OA strips on then supers .
In the brood nest there would be the biggest build up?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Eric there is probably beeks putting OA strips on then supers .
In the brood nest there would be the biggest build up?

I hope not! We are selling food. There’s no excuse for being complacent even if the law is an ass.

 

[ericbeaumont]

beeks putting OA strips on then supers

No law can stop beekeepers doing what they will, either through naivety or deliberate avoidance, and anyway there are nowhere near enough SBIs to check and enforce this OA law.

However, if honey were taken for routine testing by an SBI on behalf of the VMD and found to contain higher levels of OA - perhaps soon after treatment - then the beekeeper would have some explaining to do.

 

[pargyle]

No law can stop beekeepers doing what they will, either through naivety or deliberate avoidance, and anyway there are nowhere near enough SBIs to check and enforce this OA law.

However, if honey were taken for routine testing by an SBI on behalf of the VMD and found to contain higher levels of OA - perhaps soon after treatment - then the beekeeper would have some explaining to do.

Probably best to have an invoice lying around somewhere for one of the legal OA treatments ....

 

[The bees knees honey]

I'm just about to make a couple of nucs up theres no obvious sign of mites in the main hive but is it worth putting a OA strip in the nucs that I make up.

 

[ericbeaumont]

no obvious sign of mites in the main hive but is it worth putting a OA strip in the nucs

That's your choice, so long as there's no obvious sign of a Seasonal Bee Inspector looking over your shoulder.

 

[North End Bees]

Probably best to have an invoice lying around somewhere for one of the legal OA treatments ....

And an excuse ready for using it with the supers on

 

[Michael Palmer]

Awhile ago it was stated here that there was no withdrawal period for adding supers after removing Apivar strips. Someone posted me a photo of the Spivar package, and indeed, not necessary to hold off supering. Thing is, the Apivar packaging here in the States says you must wait 2 weeks before adding supers. I wonder why the difference